All That Glimmers Isn't Gold

Five

Glimmer

Strawberry, vanilla, rose, mint, citrus, the scents were endless.

Full wash, hair, body, legs, torso, the options were endless.

Purple, green, yellow, pink, orange, the colors were endless.

One, who would color their body? Two, pink of all colors?

And there were different bubble options. I shook my head at the panel and just chose a warm wash, full torso. I didn't want to look like a pansy at training, and especially not in the games.

The scrubbers went away at my body as soon as I stepped in. The jets coming from the sides pounding my body at high pressure, causing me to scream at them and trying to cover them.

I screamed again as soap got in my eye, and I put my face in front of a jet, and screamed as I realized the high pressure going into my eye.

Well, that was stupid.

I heard my door slam open, and I whirled around to see Marvel standing there.

"Holy fuck!" He shielded his eyes from me and I turned around and covered my privates.

"Marvel! Out!" I screamed at him.

"I heard you scream! Are you alright?"

"Yes! Get out!"

"Do you want me to get you a towel or anything?"

"No, get the fuck out!" I reached to the towel rack and grabbed the fuzzy white one before hearing my door slam again, then the faint one of the main bedroom door.

I sighed and shut the shower off, and wiped my eyes of the soap.

Fucking shower. Fucking soap. Fucking Marvel.

When I stepped out of the bathroom there was a girl standing near my bed holding a black outfit.

"Who are you?"

She didn't answer, instead she just held out the clothes.

I grabbed them out of her hands and slipped the shirt over my body. There was padding around my breasts and squeezed my middle. It stopped right above my belly button, showing off my toned stomach.

The undergarments were enough to cover my privates, but that was about it. The pants were the next item, and they came up to my waist amd down to my calves. The shoes she gave me were like my old ballet slippers, but soft toed.

I pulled my hair pack into a low ponytail and made a fishtail braid.

When I turned around the girl was nowhere to be seen, so I exited my room and down the hall to the dining room.

Marvel was sitting on a couch, wearing the same material I was, watching a recap of the parade.

I decided against sitting with him, instead going out to the balcony. While District 1's floor was the third floor up, it still had a good view of the capital. The training center and all that jazz was built up on a hill, with parks and capital noble homes surrounding it. The president's mansion was the center of it all.

I looked out at one of the parks. It had pink cherry trees that were puffy like clouds.

What was it like being on a cloud? I looked up at the flawlessly blue sky, not a cloud in sight. Part of me wondered if it was like the arena, with a force field all around it, projecting the images of the sky and the deceased tributes.

I went back down the hall to my room, an idea striking my head.

I rummaged through the drawers of the dresser, looking for some sort of piece of paper. I remember Dextran, a former tribute, telling us long ago she would leave us a piece of paper in the room in case she died. Unfortunately, she did, but she told all of those who would follow in her path of volunteering.

I checked each one, pushing on the sides.

Nothing.

I went over to the vanity and opened each drawer as well. The bottom one had an extra piece of wood in it, and I pushed and pulled on it.

I sighed and slammed it close, then went back to my bed and sat down.

I heard something heavy fall to the floor, then turned around to face the desk. The piece of wood that you pulled on to get the drawer out had fallen to the floor, and there was a piece of paper stuck inside of the other piece of wood.

I jumped over to it and picked it up. I found myself unfold it with shaky hands.

The first name on it was, of course, Dextran.

Fifty Fourth Hunger Games: Dextran Idles.

Dear reader, as this night may be my last, I will remember the great sacrifice I have been to these games. As the female tribute, I want to be the winner. I want the glory. Hopeful you get enough sponsors to fulfill Districts One's hopes to bring home another victor.

The notes went on until the 73rd Hunger Games.

I reached for the pen on the desk and flipped the paper over, and wrote "74th Hunger Games: Glimmer Hastings."

~~~

I put the note and piece of wood back where it belonged, then went out to the hallway.

Marvel was walking down to his room, and stopped when he saw me.

"Are you okay after.... you know." He rubbed his neck.

"Oh yeah, I'm okay. I got soap in my eye, then... yeah." I bit my lip and looked down at his feet.

"Alright. Sorry for... you know."

"I know. Its all good, don't fret about it."

"Okay. Do you want to go..." Marvel awkwardly pointed in the direction of the main room.

"Yeah, sure." I followed him to the supper table and sat down across from him at the head, with Dharma on my left and Nachelle on my right, then Marvel's stylist on his right.

The avox set a plate of pasta in front of me. It had strange looking vegetables on it with a white sauce. It smelled absolutely divine, but I paced myself on eating it.

Dharma was striking up conversation with Marvel's stylist when Titan and Ambrosia walked in and sat down.

"Oh! Alfredo sauce, my favorite!" Ambrosia immediately forked a couple of noodles in her mouth.

I finished my plate and set my fork down.

"So, tomorrow is you first day in the training center. I want you to go all out, seeing as you are both from One and Careers." Titan instructed. "You need to gain allies."

"We've already talked with Two." Marvel spoke up.

"Yes, Enobaria has talked to me about the alliance. Cato is very skilled in sword handling, and Clove in knife throwing. I would also consider 12-"

"Absolutely not." Marvel said.

"Why not?" I asked.

He smirked at me and continued to speak. "Its 12, Glim. Isn't that reason enough?"

"You never know. The girl, maybe not. The boy, definitely a fighter." Titan said.

"Oh please, the boy only has an ounce of muscle. The girl is lean, definitely a runner. She'd be fast." Ambrosia challenged Titan.

Pretty soon they were in an all-out battle of which would be the best ally for us.

I stood up from the table, purposefully knocking my chair to the ground, glared at the now silent people around me, then exited to my room.

I slammed my door shut for emphasis. How could they choose for us? I understand that they are our mentors and everything, but they aren't going to be in the arena.

Cato, Clove, Marv and I were going to be the largest alliance in there. I couldn't allow any other -weaker- tributes be with us. They would just hold us back.

I heard a faint knock on my door.

I sighed and went over to it, then opened it to see Marvel outside.

"Can we talk?"